St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-12-08
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
THE FRENCH CRISIS.

President Grevy resigned his posi-
ton as president of the French repub-
lie last Friday. The circumstances
that led up to his resignation and ere
ated the present crisis in French poll
tics may be said in brief to have been
caused by trafficking in decorations of
the Legion of Honor, not by President
Grevy himself, who is credited with
being a man with honest purposes, but
by his daughters husband NJ. Wilson,
who made his home with NJ. Grevy in
the Elysee. Charges were first brought
against number of French generals
who were tried and some of whom
were found guilty and fined. Evidence
elected at above trial pointed to NJ.
Wilson as the real sinner, and the gov
eminent at once began inquiries into
these allegations, and the interest of
Paris was Immediately transferred to
the new case. 1t was everywhere
charged that the sOn-in-law of Presi-
dent Grevy had made away with GER
tain evidence against him in the shape
of letters, etc.
On the day after the testimony re-
garding the Wilson letters, what the
French call a presidential crisis seem
ed imminent. NJ. Wilson's wife is the
only daughter of President Grevy, and
she, her husband, and their children
lived with M. Grevy in the Elysee.
The aged president wished to keep
them there, but the popular storm fore
ed Wilson from that shelter.
Some of the charges brought against
NJ. Wilson before the Commission of
Inquiry were that he had procured a
decoration for an agriculturist for 3d.
600 francs, that he had received 20O,-
600 francs in return for a military con
tract, that 100000 francs had been
paid him for a contract for rugs, and
that he had accepted 100000 francs for
assisting lady to procure ii divorce
from her husband. These charges
were fatty denied by the persons di
rectly interested, but the commission
reported against NJ. Wilson, and the
chamber of deputies demanded his
prosecution by vote of 527 to 3.
1t was on November 18th that NJ.
Wilson was forced to quit the Elysee.
On the following day the storm turned
from the obnoxious sOnin- law, and
was directed upon the president him
self. The streets were placarded with
caricatures and lampOOns. The police
were kept busy with the crowds that
hOOted and sang satirical songs in front
of the Elysee. In the chamber of dep
uties the ministry was beaten, and it
Immediately resigned. NJ. Grevy sum
mOned one politician after another in
the endeavOr to persuade them to form
a new cabinet, but none of them was
willing to undertake the task. Presi
dent Grevy being urged To resign said
that he desired to retire to private life,
but wished to quit the Elysee with
honor. Such was the pressure brought
to bear upon him meanwhile that he
was finally forced to resign as stated
above.
M. Grevy has suffered greatly in
health by reason of the political trOub-
les. He is in the seventy fifth year of
his age. He participated in the July
revolution of 1880, and afterward de-
Tended many radicals charged with of
fences against the government. AS
member of the constituent assembly in
IS4S he attracted attention by his able
speeches. Upon the coup a. etat of
Louis Napoleon he withdrew from pol
itics and practised law. He was elect
ed president of the French republic on
January 30, 1879, after the resignation
of Marshal MacMahon, for term of
seven years, and at its conclusion was
reelected for Il like term. At the be-
ginning of the recent agitation he pro-
tested that president had the right to
serve out the term for which he was
elected, and that for him to resign be-
cause of the overthrow of his ministry
was to establish pernicious prece-
dent. For several days he was firm in
his determination to remain, but the
pressure brought to bear upon him was
too great to be successfully resisted.